Conveyer and stabilizing device



Sept. 14, 1954 J. A. DERSCH CONVEYER AND STABILIZING DEVICE 5Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 14, 1951 INVENTOR. JZ%/7 f7: Jersci.

BY M Sept. 14, 1954 J. A. DERSCH CONVEYER AND STABILIZING DEVICE FiledJuly 14, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 NW N Sept. 14, 1954 Filed July 14, 1951J. A. DERSCH 2,639,035

CONVEYER AND STABILIZING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. fl fii x762194}.

Sept. 14, 1954 J. A. DERSCH CONVEYER AND STABILIZING DEVICE 5Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 14, 1951 IIL I I II LILI INVENTOR. /7 7flcrsci Alf/5,

J. A. DERSCH 2,689,035

CONVEYER AND STABILIZING DEVICE,

Sept. 14, 1954 Filed July 14, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN V EN TOR. \7%/r17, 36/196 Patented Sept. 14, 1954 CONVEYER AND STABILIZING DEVICE JohnA. Dersch, Saginaw, Mich., assignor to Baker Perkins 1110., Saginaw,Mich., a corpora-.

tion of New York Application July 14, 1951, Serial No. 236,777

This invention relates generally to a baking oven conveyor system andmore particularly to a conveyor system including a stabilizer device formaintaining baking pans or trays in a horizontal plane at all times, andan arrangement or mechanism for automatically dumping or dischargingpans with baked goods therein from the conveyor and oven.

In commercial bakeries and the like, large baking ovens are employed forbaking bread, rolls, cakes, etc. and such baking ovens generally includea conveyor on which pans filled with dough may be placed. The pans areconveyed through the oven for a predetermined length of time in order toproperly bake the dough. While the pans could be placed in the oven atone end of 6 Claims. (Cl. 198-138) 2 this type of stabilizer, it can beappreciated. that a simple automatic dumping, arrangement for the pansand finished baked goods is impractical andlextremely difiicult, if notimpossible, to provide. There has been therefore a real need for aconveyor system which includes a simple stabilizer device and meansenabling the finished baked goods to be dumped, and so far as is known,no such system or mechanism has been heretofore developed.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide in a conveyorsystem a novel baking pan a horizontal conveyor run and removedtherefrom adjacent the opposite end of the conveyor run, such anarrangement would generally require a relatively long oven and conveyorand would require the use of at least two people, one to load the pansinto the conveyor and one to remove the pans containing the finishedbaked goods from the conveyor. Therefore, most conveyors for bakingovens include two or more horizontal runs, and while this invention isnot limited to any particular number of horizontal runs, the conveyorshown and described herein is of the endless chain type in which chainsadjacent opposite sides of the oven extend around guide elements orchain sprockets at each end of the oven so as to provide two courses orupper and lower horizontal runs. In order to prevent the pans, which arepositioned on trays connected between the opposed conveyor chains, fromspilling or falling therefrom, it is necessary that the pans be retainedin a horizontal position even when passing around the sprockets or guideelements at each end of the oven. Furthermore,

in order to reduce the number of operators or persons loading andunloading baked goods from the oven, it is desirable to provide aconveyor and oven arrangement in which the pans can be automaticallydumped or discharged from the oven and conveyor after the baked goodstherein are baked. 4

In the past many types of stabilizer mechaninisms or devices have beendevised for retaining the pans in a horizontal plane, even when they arepassing around the conveyor guide elements or sprockets, from onehorizontal run to the other. One of the most common types of stabilizerarrangements has been the well known third chain type stabilizer inwhich a chain is connected to the trays through levers to maintain thetrays in a horizontal position. With or tray stabilizer mechanism whichwill maintain the baking pans in a horizontal position at all times andwhich is so constructed and arranged as not to interfere with anautomatic dumping mechanism for discharging the pans with their finishedbaked goods from the conveyor and oven. 1 1

It is a still further object of this invention to provide an arrangementof the aforementioned type in which the pans may be automatically dumpedor discharged from the baking oven and conveyor when the baked goodstherein are finished, and which dumping arrangement or mechanism may beselectively operated so that if it is not desired to dump the pans andbaked goods, as might be the case in the baking of oertain types ofrolls, cakes, or bread wherein the dumping operation might adverselyaffect the baked goods, the dumping operation can be eliminated.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a dumpingarrangement or mechanism of the aforementioned type, in which the panscontaining baked goods will be dumped or discharged from the oven andconveyor in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of theconveyor so as to eliminate any chance of the pans jamming or otherwiseinterfering with the conveyor movement.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a conveyor andstabilizer mechanism of the aforementioned type, in which the stabilizerbecome apparent from the following detailed description, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view, with parts broken away, of a bakingoven containing the conveyor mechanism of this invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the,baking oven taken along the line 2,2 of Fig; 3, illustrating thestabil-.

dampin mecha m i e on-d n posi- Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view similar toFig. 5, illustrating the conveyor and dumping 'mecha- 'riisrn' in'thedumpin osi-t n; i Fig. 7 is a fragmentaryend elevational view of oneside of the conveyor at'the take-up or rear .e d he eof; and

Fig. 8 is 'a side elevational view of the structure illustrated in Fig.'7, taken in the direction of the arrow 8 thereof. 7

' Referring now to the drawings, it will be seen that the baking ovenincludes a frameworklike supporting structure H which is adapted to reston a floor or the like and which is normally covered or enclosed by abaking oven housing It. Disposed within the housing [3 are a pair oflaterally spaced, endless conveyors L and I] which "ar'substantiallyidentical in construction. The

conveyors I5 and i! may be of any suitable type but are illustrated asbeing of the chain roller type in which chain rollers I9 are disposedbetween the'adjacent links 2} and 23 thereof, in a generallyconventional manner. Each of the conveyor chains and j] is of theendless type and each extends arounda chain sprocket 25 a a t e fr ntend o he oven. and? Similar sprocket 27 adjacent the rear end' of theoven, so as to provide upper and lower horizontal runs.

' Extending between'the' laterally spaced conv yo chains 15 and I l, p ns pa ed t roushout the length of the conveyor, are trays 29. The t ays 2may be f various kn wn ype u are illustrated as being of what might beterm the rid typ having lateral y extend t ular' member .3! and longitdinally extending later lly sp ed rod like m mb rs 33'. The memb rs .33oonstitute'th supporting s rfaceof the trays on which one or more pans 35 filled with dough to be baked, may be placed and are supported formovement by the [conveyor through the oven. Hub-like bracket members .31are rigidly connected. on the opposite lateral sides of I each tray 29,adjacent the forward end thereof. A laterallyextending. pin or shaftmember 39 has one end thereof projecting intoeach bracket member 31 andrigidly connected therewith by any suitable means: The outer end of eachpin or shaft member 39 extends through a roller I9 of its adjacentconveyor chain 15 ,or H, so that the trays are connected on oppositesides with the conveyors for movement therewith, and so that the trayscan pivot or move about the axis of the pins or shaft members 39,relative to the conveyors and the.conveyor'rollersjm. One end of a crankme r is s s lv 9 nn =i@1-w in ea h pin or shaft member 39 at 43 by anysuitable means. The opposite or rear end of each crank member 4|rotatably supports a crank roller 45, which crank roller is disposedlaterally outwardly of its adjacent conveyor chain I5 or I1 and of thepoint of attachment 43 of its crank arm to its pin .orshaft member 39..

A horizontally extending lowentrackdfi extends through the ove n on eachsidethereof from a point adjacent each front sprocket 25 to a pointadjacent each rear sprocket 21'. Similar upper horizontal tracks 41extend longitudinally through the oven on opposite sides thereof from apoint adjacent to the front sprockets 25 to a point adjacent the rearsprockets 21. The tracks Q6 and 41 are disposed adjacent the upper andlower runs of the conveyor chains and are connected at one end by anysuitable means with the stationary framework of the oven structure, withthe ct-herends thereof free to slide, fgrexpensio a cont tio a onsi e kbas ha 48. The tracks furthermore, are disposed :in a position to engageand support the chain rollers i9 and the crank arm 'rollers 45 duringthe movemea f se ql tr' f en thei upp r a dlowe horizontal runs, andterminate adjacent the front and rear conveyor sprockets so asnot tointerfere with the operation of the sprockets or the st b echan smssposed d en win sprockets which maintain th trays 2? in their horizontalposition as they pas's'around the spreckets, in e nn r wh h w be he e ate described.

A hub-like bracket member 49 is connected h a m fi d 5.1 P 435E 1 e 231.wardly of h bra ke membe s 3W1 h membe 4 t b 2110 7 11 15 J Whifirollers are disposed laterally inwardly of their a ce c a w r i 9. 1. anar r fer ed t h e f r 3 um l Th 19 5' d n t e a ack an 1 a d 1 are p ofcontact with any members except during the dum e atea i i- 1h? Prw n uthei after. Vertically spaced channel members ,52 9X.- tend longitudinallythrough the oven housing and are connected with the oven framework inany suitable manner. The channels carry and support side plates 53,which in turn support, on opposite sides of the housing, laterallyoutwardly of the conveyor chains 15 and ,l I, drive bearing supportingmembGIS or castings 55. Each casting includes a hub or bearing portion5?, in which a shaftfifi is rotatably supported. Each shaft 59 carrieson its inner end the conveyor sprockets 25. Each shaft .59 also supportsand carries laterally outwardly of casting 55 a drive chain sprocket 6|.Each sprocket fl is connected by a chain 63 with ,a chain sprocket 55carriedadjacent a lateral outer end of a main drive shaft 6.7. The driveshaft 5] in turn rotatably supported adjacent its opposite ends bybearing members 5.9 which are mounted on frame members ll, forming apart .of the stationary framework of the baking oven and conveyordevice. The main shaft 6'! is connected in any suitable manner to adriving motor .(not shown) so that when the motor is operated the shaft.5! will drive each chain sprocket 6! through sprocket 5 and chain 63,and in turn will thus drive each conveyor chain sprocket 25 throughshaft 59.

The chain sprockets .25 are formed with a pinrality of notches orrecesses '15 On the outer periphery thereof. The notches or indentationsare, as can be seen in Fig. 5 0f a generally semiir sha s that s en o thmil s; 1'

will be successively engaged by one of the notches or recesses I5 todrive the conveyor chains I5 and H. The notches or recesses I5 arecircumferentially spaced so as to properly engage each of the chainrollers I9, in accordance with the spacing of these rollers, and therecesses I5 are shaped so as to properly house or engage the chainrollers so that the same will not inadvertently become disengagedtherefrom. It will therefore be appreciated that the conveyor chains I5and I! are driven by the sprockets 25 and the main drive shaft 67 in asimple and eflicient manner.

The conveyor chain sprockets 21 at the opposite or rear end of the ovenare constructed in a manner identical to the chain sprockets 25, so nofurther description thereof is deemed necessary. The chain sprockets 21are not connected with the main drive shaft, but are merely rotatablysupported in castings H, which are substantially identical with thecastings 55, so as to be driven by the conveyor chains I5 and IT. Thecastings ii are adjustably supported on the stationary framework of theoven by ball type bearings I9 which roll in upper and lower bearingraces tI, supported on the oven frame work. That is, castings ll may beadjusted longitudinally, relative to the front castings 55, for thepurpose of tightening or loosening the chain conveyors on theirsprockets. The position of the castings H is controlled and determinedby means of a suitable take-up device 82, in the form of chains 83extending around sprockets 95 and 8? to a sprocket and counterweighttype of take-up mechanism 89, rotatably supported on an additionalbearing or hub portion 9I which rotatably supports a shaft 93. Carriedon the lateral outer end of each shaft'93 is a chain sprocket 95 whichis connected with a chain sprocket 91 supported on each shaft 59laterally outwardly of each of the chain sprockets 6i. Each chainsprocket 91 is connected with its adjacent chain sprocket 95 by means ofa chain 99 so that when each shaft 59 is driven, each sprocket 95 andshaft 93 will be driven, but due to the differences in the sizes of thesprockets, the sprockets 95 Will rotate at a different speed than theconveyor sprockets 25. This ratio may, of course, be varied, but isillustrated as being of the order of four to one. Connected with thelateral inner end of each shaft 93 is a gear IOI.

Each gear I0! meshes with gear teeth I03 extending around the innerperiphery of a stabilizer ring I05. Two flanged idler rollers I09 andIII are supported by each casting 55 or 51 and together with gear I 0|form a three point suspension for each stabilizer ring. The rollers I09and III are rotatably'supported on castings 55 and 77 by shafts H3 andcooperate with the dumping pinion gear IOI to rotatably support eachstabilizer ring I05. Therefore, as gears IOI are driven they in turnwill dlrive the stabilizer rings I95, which will rotate around theirrespective gears it! and rollers I09 and III and therefore about an axisdisposed centrally of the axes of each gear HM and its adjacent rollersI09 ends of their upper or lower track members 45 the stabilizer ringsare circumferentially spaced in accordance with the spacing of the crankrollers 45 and the trays 29, and in accordance with the ratio of thespeed of rotation of the stabilizer rings relative to the conveyorsprockets, so that one recess II5 on each stabilizer ring I05 willproperly engage a crank roller 45 on each tray 29 as the same comes intoposition for engagement thereby. Therefore, as the trays 29 pass aroundthe sprockets 25 and 21 at each end thereof, the sprockets will pick upand engage the chain rollers I9 and the stabilizer'rings will pick upand engage the crank rollers 45 on each tray. Whereupon, due to therelative rotative speeds of the stabilizer rings and conveyor sprockets,the positioning of the recesses in the sprockets and stabilizer rings,and the distance between the chain rollers I9 and the crank rollers 45adjacent thereto, the trays will be held in a horizontal position untilthey pass around the sprockets 25 or 21 and until the chain rollers andthe crank arm rollers again engage the horizontal tracks, upper or loweras the case' may be, so that the crank arm rollers and the trays will beretained in a horizontal position at all times. It will, of course, beappreciated that the only thing which prevents the trays from tilting isthe engagement of the crank arm rollers 45 either with the upper orlower tracks 46 or 41, or with the stabilizer rings I05. Due to the factthat the crank arm rollers are longitudinally offset relative to thechain rollers to which the crank arms are connected, and due to the factthat the pans 35 are positioned on the trays 29 so that their center ofgravity is rearwardly of the pivotal axis of each tray, the crankrollers and crank arms will maintain the trays and thus the pans carriedthereby, in a horizontal position throughout their travel path in thehorizontal runs and in their travel around the chain sprockets atopposite ends of the conveyor.

In order to reduce the number of operators or people necessary in theoperation of the baking oven, means are provided for automaticallydumping or discharging the pans 35 with their finished baked goods, fromthe baking oven. That is, instead of it being necessary for an op--erator to load pans onto the conveyor through. I

the opening I2I in the front wall of the oven housing, and also unloadthe ans through the same opening, at the end of the baking operation,discharge or dumping means are provided so that the trays will be emptywhen they reach a position adjacent the oven opening I2I during theirtravel around the sprockets 25. Therefore, a single operator need onlybe employed to load pans onto the conveyor, as the unloading of the pansis automatic. The conveyor chains I5 and I! travel in a direction suchthat the upper horizontal runs thereof are moving from the front to therear of the baking ovens while the lower horizontal runs are moving fromthe rear to the front thereof. Thus, after the pans are loaded onto theconveyor they move around the upper portion of the sprockets 25 alongthe upper horizontal run of the conveyor adjacent to the tracks 41,downwardly around the sprockets 21 and back along the lower horizontalruns of the conveyor chains adjacent to the tracks 46.

The tracks 55 adjacent to but just rearwardly of the sprockets 25are'provided with openings I23, which openings are disposed'in the trackin acsaoss 7 the path-of atravel ofthe crank rollers 45 thereon,bu-tflaterally outwardly of the path of travel of the chainrollers 1-9.A-olosure plate 1254s provided 'for 'each 'of the track openings 123 andis hingedly supported at 1'2"! so that the closure may-be swung between:a position in which it closes each opening 123 (Fig. and a positionsuch "as shown in Figs. -2 and 5, wherein it uhcovers'oropenseach=opening The closures I25 may be connected with any suitablemechanism which the operator-can actuate so as to open or close theclosures. "Such a mechanism could be of a-ny well known mechanical,electrical or hydraulic itype so :that if it isnot desired toautomatically dump or discharge the pans 35, containing the finishedbaked goods, from the baking oven,:the closures 25 are moved. to theirclosed position so that :the crank arm rollers 25 will not drop throughthe openings I23, but will continue along the track until they areengaged rby-the gstabilizer rings .1! {3.5, in which event the pans willbe removed .by hand when they reach a point on the conveyor .adjacentthe baking oven inlet opening 1.2!. With certain types of baked goods,such as rolls, cakes and some types of breads, it is not desirable toautomatically dump or discharge thesame, as such an action might have anadverse effect on these baked goods. However, with most types of breadand the like, :wherein the pans are completely filled with the bakedloaf :of bread, it is desirable to automatically dump the same from the.baking oven. In such aflcase, the closures 25 are opened so that as the"crank rollers '45 of each tray 29 approach {the chain sprockets 25 onthe lower horizontal run; they will drop through the track openingssibility and remove any shock or sudden torsional loading of the shaftmembers 39, means are provided for controlling the rate of dump of thetrays 2-9. This means includes the dump rollers 4:9 and inclined trackor shoe members ESE disposed laterally inwardly of each track opening123 in a position for engagement by the dump rollers 59 when the crankrollers drop into the track openings I23. Therefore, when the crankrollers 45 drop through the track openings E23 so as to tilt the tray 29rearwardly, the dump rollers 49 engage and roll along the inclined trackor shoe members l3l. Thus no shock or sudden torsional loading or" thecrank arm pin or shaft members 39 will occur and the dumping action willbe positively controlled by the inclination of the track or shoe membersI3 I, which ,-inclina-.

tion may, of course, be varied to control the rate of dumping. As therate of dumping is controlled by the dumping rollers and the shoemembers ISI, each tray will be rearwardly tilted about the axis of itspin or shaft members 39 and the pans 35 will slide rearwardly off of thetrays and out of the dumping oven. In the illustrated embodiment of thisinvention an additional conveyor I33 of any suitable type, is providedonto which the pans slide from the trays 29 and the conveyor I33 carriesthe pans automaticallyaway from the dumping oven.

In order to guide the crank rollers it back into position for engagementby the stabilizer rings I135, and in order to return the trays 29 totheir r 8 normal horizontal position, a shoe 135 is provided beloweach-of the track openings I23. The shoe 135 includes a horizontalportion I31, along which the crank rollers will roll after the dumpingoperation and an upwardly inclined portion 139 which extends forwardlyfrom the portion 131, and which will raise the crank rollers back totheir normal position for engagement by the stabilizer rings W5. Ahinged plate MI is provided in each. track 46 above the inclined portion[39 ofeach shoe member I35, which is swung upwardly and rearwardly bythe crank rollers 45 as they move upwardly along the inclined shoeportions I39 toward their normal position. The piates man fine-biased soas to return to their normal position shown in Fig. 2 after each set ofcrank rollers has passed therebeyond. When the dumping mechanism isnotin use, the hinged plate members ml remain in their normal closedposition and the crank rollers can roll thereover and will be supportedthereon, just as if a solid trackwereemployed.

It will thus be seen that a dumping arrangement or mechanism is providedwhich can be selectively operated to either automatically dump bakedgoods from the oven and conveyor, or positioned sothat the .bakedgoodswill not be diunped and will travel along the track with the traysretained in the horizontal position. It will fur-- thermore beappreciated that the stabilizing mechanism of this invention does notinterfere with "the dumping mechanism or operation, as would normally bethe case with third chain type of stabilizer mechanisms, wherein thecrank arm would be connected with a third chain. It will furthermore beappreciated that the pans or baked goods .are discharged from theconveyor and oven in a rearward'direction, or a direction opposite tothe direction, of movement or" the lower horizontal conveyor chain runso that any possibility of jamming :01" the pans 35 or interference withthe conveyor is eliminated.

The baking oven itself may be or" any suitable type, employing suitableheating elements, and

except, of course, during the dumping operation,

in an extremely simple, efiicient and desirable manner. It will also beappreciated that a simple, novel and eihcient dumping arrangement andmechanism is provided in conjunction with the conveyor and stabilizermechanism, and that the stabilizer mechanism will not interfere with orprevent the automatic dumping operation. Therefore, the mechanism anddevice of this'invention aids and produces a superior baking oven andconveyor mechanism than has been heretofore known in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. A conveyor system for a baking oven, including a pair of endlessconveyors having horizontal runs, rotary guide elements at the ends ofsaid conveyors over which said conveyors pass, trays disposed betweensaid conveyors, crank arms rigidly connected with opposite sides of eachof said trays and pivotally connected with said conveyor, track meansextending between said guide elements in position for engagement by oneend of each crank arm so as to maintain said trays in ahorizontalposition,- roller means rotatably supportedon opposite sides of each ofsaid'trays in lateral and longitudinal spaced relationship to eachadjacent crank arm, said track means having openings therein adjacentthe guide elements at one end of said conveyors and disposed in the pathof. movement of each crank arm end so that the latter may droptherethrough, whereupon each tray will tilt about its pivotal connectionwith said conveyors, a track disposed adjacent each of said openings andbelow the path of movement of said tray roller means, said tracks beingengageable by said roller means when said crank arms drop through saidopenings so as to control the rate of tilting of said trays, and adevice rotatably supported adjacent each end of the track means andadjacent said guide elements including spaced means engageable with theend of each crank arm as it passes around said guide elements to retainsaid crank arms and trays in a horizontal position until the crank armsagain engage said track means adjacent said guide elements, and meansfor driving said devices and said conveyors in timed relation so thatsaid devices will engage said crank arms as aforesaid.

2. A conveyor system for a baking oven, including a pair of spaced apartendless conveyors having horizontal runs, rotary guide elements at theopposite ends of said conveyors over which the same pass, a traydisposed between said conveyors, a crank arm rigidly connected with saidtray on each side thereof and pivotally supported on the conveyoradjacent thereto, each of said crank arms including an end portionspaced from the pivotal axisthereof, track means extending between saidguide elements and engageable by said crank arm ends to maintain saidtray in a horizontal position, said track means having an openingtherein disposed in the path of travel of each of said crank arm ends sothat said ends can drop into said openings, whereupon said tray willtilt about the pivotal axis of its crank arms, a member connected withsaid tray on opposite sides thereof in spaced relation to the adjacentcrank arm pivotal axis, sloping shoe means disposed in substantiallateral alignment with said track openings and in the path of travel ofsaid tray members so that upon tilting movement of said tray said traymembers will engage and move along said shoe means to control the rateof tilting of said tray, a closure for each of said track openingsmovable between a position to close each of said openings and a positionto uncover the same, and selectively operable to determine whether saidtray will tilt or remain horizontal in passing over said opening.

3. A conveyor systemfor a baking oven, including a pair of spaced apartendless conveyors having horizontal runs, rotary guide elements at theopposite ends of said conveyors over which the same pass, a traydisposed between said conveyors, a crank arm rigidly connected with saidtray on opposite sides thereof and pivotally supported on the conveyoradjacent thereto, each of said crank arms including an end portionspaced from the pivotal axis thereof, track means extending between saidguide elements in position for engagement by said crank arm ends tomaintain the tray in a horizontal position, said track means having anopening therein disposed in the path of travel of each of said crank armends so that said ends can drop into said openings, whereupon said traywill tilt about the pivotal axis of said crank arms, a member connectedwith said tray on opposite sides thereof in spaced relation to saidcrank arm pivotal axis,

1'0 sloping shoe means disposed in substantial la't eral alignment witheach of said trackopenings and in the path of travel of said traymembers so that upon tilting movement of said tray said tray memberswill engage and move along said shoe means to control the rate oftilting of said tray, a closure for each of said track openings movablebetween a position to close said openings and a position to uncover thesame, and selectively operable to determine whether said tray will tiltor remain horizontal in passing over said opening, additional shoe meansengageable by each of said crank arm ends after the same has droppedthrough its said opening and disposed in spaced relation to said firstshoe means to raise said crank arms back to their normal track engagingposition, a portion of said track means adjacent each of said additionalshoe means being supported for pivotal movement relative to said trackmeans and actuatable upon upward movement of said crank arm ends topermit said crank arm ends to pass thereby, said track portions normallyclosing the space above each of said additional shoe means so as toprovide a continuous track except when actuated by said crank arms.

4. A conveyor system for a baking oven, including a pair of spaced apartendless conveyors having horizontal runs, rotary guide elements at theopposite ends of said conveyors over which the same pass, a traydisposed between said conveyors, a crank arm rigidly connected with saidtray on opposite sides thereof and pivotally supported on the conveyoradjacent thereto, each of said crank arms including an end portionspaced from the pivotal axis thereof, track means extending between saidguide elements in position for engagement by said crank arm ends tomaintain the. tray in a horizontal position, said track means having anopening therein disposed in the path of travel of each of said crank armends so that said ends can drop into said openings, whereupon said traywill tilt about the pivotal axis of said crank arms, a member connectedwith said tray on opposite sides thereof in spaced relation to saidcrank arm pivotal axis, sloping shoe means disposed in substantiallateral alignment with each of said track openings and in the path oftravel of said tray members so that upon tilting movement of said traysaid tray members will engage and move along said shoe means to controlthe rate of tilting of said tray, a closure for each of said trackopenings movable between a position to close said openings and aposition to uncover the same, and selectively operable to determinewhether said tray will tilt or remain horizontal in passing over saidopening, additional shoe means engageable by each of said crank arm endsafter the same has dropped through its said opening and disposed inspaced relation to said first shoe means to raise said crank arms backto their normal track engaging position, a portion of said track meansadjacent each of said additional shoe means being supported for pivotalmovement relative to said track means and actuatable upon upwardmovement of said crank arm ends to permit said crank arm ends to passthereby, said track portions normally closing the space above each ofsaid additional shoe means so as to provide a continuous track exceptwhen actuated by said crank arms, a device rotatably supported adjacenteach end of the track means and adjacent said guide elements includingspaced means engageable with said crank arm ends as they pass aroundsaid guide elements to retain the'tray in a horizon ,tal position duringsuch movement, and means for driving said devices and said conveyors intimed relationship so that the spaced means on said devices will engagesaid crank arm ends as aforesaid.

5. Apparatus for supporting in horizontal relationship trays pivotallysecured to opposite portions of a pa r of endless conveyors arranged topass over rotary guide elements at the ends thereof, including membersrigidly connected with and extending from opposite sides of each tray,track means extending between and terfm'inating adjacent said guideelements in position for engagement by said members to retain the traysin a horizontal position, a stabilizer ring rotatably supported adjacenteach end of the track means and adjacent each of said guide elements,each of-said stabilizer rings having a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced recesses in the outer periphery thereof for engagement with eachof the members as they pass around said guide elements to retain saidmembers and their trays in a horizontal position until the members againengage said track means, an internal gear extending around the innerperiphery of each of said stabilizer rings, a pinion gear meshing witheach of said internal ring gears for rotatably driving the same,additional rotary members engaging each of said ring gears andcooperating with said pinion gear to rotatably support each stabilizerring, means rotatably supporting each of said pinion gears and saidrotary members,

and means for driving said pinion gears and said eluding a pair ofspaced apart endless conveyor chains having horizontal runs, sprocketsat op- Number posite ends of the chains over which the same p'ass,horizontally extending track means extending between said sprockets, atray disposed be-' tween said chains, crank members connected with andextending from opposite sides of said tray, means pivotally connectingsaid crank members with said chains, a stabilizer ring rotatably' supported adjacent each end of said track means and said sprockets,'each ofsaid stabilizer rings including a pluralityof circumferentially spacedinwardly extending recesses formed in the outer periphery thereof andengageable with one of said crank members as it passes around saidsprockets so as to retain said crank member and its tray in a horizontalposition until the crank member again engages saidtrack means; aninternal gear extending around-the inner periphery of each of saidstabilizer rings, a pinion gear meshing with each of said internal ringgears for rotatably driving the same, rotary members engaging each ringgear and cooperating with said pinion gear to rotatably support eachsta-' bilizer ring, a member rotatably supporting each of said piniongears, rotary members and adjacent sprockets, driving meansinterconnecting each sprocket withits adjacent pinion gear so thatrotation of said sprocket willcause rotation of each pinion gear intimed relationshiptherewith so that the stabilizer ring recesses willengage said crank members as aforesaid References Cited in the file ofthis patent UNITED STATES llA'I'ElQTl'fS' N ne 1,538,764 Wald 4 May 19,1925 1,630,441 Adams Aug. 14, 1928 2,195,326 Crawford et al.- Mar. 26;1940 2,414,164 Nalbach Jan. '14, 1947' 2,493,857 Cargill Jan. 10, 19502,512,356 Massiello June 10, 1950

